The Life of Li Ka-shing

Overview

Li Ka-shing is a Hong Kong businessman, investor, and philanthropist. He is considered the richest man in East Asia and the 30th richest person in the world by Forbes, with a net worth of USD 31.6 billion as of 2021. Li Ka-shing is the founder of the Cheung Kong Group and the Hutchison Whampoa conglomerate.

Early Life and Education

Li Ka-shing was born on July 29, 1928, in the city of Chaozhou, in the Guangdong province of China. His family moved to Hong Kong when he was 12 years old, seeking a better life. Li’s father died when he was 15, and he had to leave school to work in a plastics factory to support his family.

Determined to improve his situation, Li taught himself business and finance. He read books in the public library and worked as a salesman, gradually building up his knowledge and network. In 1950, he started his own company, Cheung Kong Industries, which specialized in plastics manufacturing.

Career and Achievements

As Cheung Kong Industries grew, Li diversified into other industries, such as real estate, energy, telecommunications, and ports. He also acquired other companies, such as Hutchison Whampoa, which owned the British port of Felixstowe, and A.S. Watson, a retail giant with branches in Asia and Europe. Li’s business empire expanded across the world, and he became known as the “Superman” of Asia.

Over the years, Li has been involved in various philanthropic causes. He founded the Li Ka Shing Foundation in 1980, which supports education, healthcare, and cultural initiatives in Hong Kong and other countries. The foundation has donated over USD 2 billion as of 2021.

Personal Life

Li married Chong Yuet Ming in 1963, and they have two sons and a daughter. His elder son, Victor Li, is also a businessman and executive director of CK Hutchison Holdings.

At the age of 93, Li Ka-shing retired from his business empire in 2018, handing over the reins to his elder son.

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